Fire-extinguishing system.



DE FOREST POWERS & H. G. SHULTZ. FIRE EXTINGUISHING SYSTEM. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 30, 1912.

1,088,446. Patented Feb. 24, 1914 Attorneys nm'rnn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DE FOREST POWERS AND HARRY C. SHULTZ, OF ELIZABETHTON, TENNESSEE.

FIRE-EXTINGUISHING SYSTEM.

inseam.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 2st, 1914.

Application filed September 30, 1912. Serial No. 723,171.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, DE Fonns'r PownRs and HARRY C. SHULTZ, citizens of the United States, residing at Elizabethton, in the county of Carter, State of Tennessee, have invented a new and useful Fire-EX- tinguishing System, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to fire extinguishing systems, its object being to provide novel forms of rotary sprinklers propelled by the water being forced therethrough.

Another object is to provide a system of this character the pipes of which lead from a common source of supply and into differ ent compartments in the structure in which the system is installed or to different points within a compartment.

A further object is to provide means whereby any one of the pipes leading from the supply can be opened at the will of the watchman or other person having charge of the system.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention. resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, can be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings the preferred form of the invention has been shown.

In said drawings: Figure 1 is a view showing, diametrically, the system installed in portion of a structure. Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section through one of the sprinklers. Fig. 3 is a section on line A-l3 Fig. 2. Fig. a is an enlarged section through one of the valves.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference A designates a structure having separate compartments B and C. A water supply pipe has been indicated at 1 and eX-- tending from this pipe are distributing pipes 2 and 3 extending into the respective compartments B and C. Each pipe 2 is provided with a valve, which as shown in Fig. 4, includes a casing 4 having a drain or outlet 5 in the bottom thereof. A slide valve 6 is mounted in the casing at, and has an angular passage 7 therein which normally places the drain 5 into communication with that portion of the pipe extending into the compartment in structure A. The valve stem 8 is designed to be actuated by a solenoid 9 and the circuit to this solenoid may be controlled by a suitable switch 10 located at any point desired. One of these switches is provided for each valve and it is to be understood that the circuits are normally broken.

Each pipe 2 and 3 may be extended to any desired point within its compartment and is preferably located close to the ceiling. Each pipe is provided with a series of upstanding nozzles 11 and each of these nozzles is provided with an open upper end and with side openings or slots 12. A knob shaped sprinkler 13 is mounted for rotation on the apertured portion of the nozzle 11 and is provided with a projection 1 1 upon the top thereof. A recess 15 is formed in the bottom of this projection and receives the upper end of the nozzle. Openings 16 radiate outwardly from the recess 15 and constitute outlets for portions of the water discharged into the nozzle. The sprinkler 13 has tangentially disposed nozzles upon the peripheral portion thereof and as the sprinkler is hollow, it will be seen that water is free to pass from the openings 12 into the nozzles during the rotation of the sprinkler. Anti-friction bearings 18 may be provided for reducing friction to the minimum during the rotation of the sprinkler.

As heretofore stated the valves 6 are normally closed and, when thus positioned, the passages 7 comn'iunieate with the vents Thus it will be seen that those portions of the pipes 2 and 3 located within the structure A will be drained of their liquid contents and, therefore, there is no danger of the pipes becoming frozen in cold weather. Should it be desired to extinguish a lire located, for example, in compartment G, the watchman or other person having charge of the system closes the circuit leading to the solenoid of the valve controlling pipe 3. As soon as the solenoid is energized, the valve 6 will be shifted to open position and water will rush from the supply 1 into the pipe 3 and thence into the various nozzles on said pipe. Portions of the water will be discharged in jets through the openings 16 and the remaining portions of the water will fill the sprinkler 1S and be discharged through the nozzles 17 along tangential lines. The pressure of the water against the surround ing atmospl'icrc will cause the sprinkler 13 to rotate at a high speed upon the nozzles 11 and, therefore, the water discharged from the nozzles will not only be directed upwardly against the ceiling but will also be thrown outwardly in all directions, thus wetting a considerable area adjacent the nozzles. Inasmuch as the sprinkler bears downwardly upon the upper open end of the nozzle it is to be understood that when a current of water is directed into the nozzle 11, portions of the water not only escape into the body of the sprinkler and thence through the ports 17 but another portion of the water flows up against the bearing face at the upper end of the nozzle 11 and slightly lifts the sprinkler so that a film of water is formed between the sprinkler and the upper end of the nozzle 11 whereby friction is reduced to the minimum. The nozzles can all be so located that, when operating, they will sprinkle the entire area designed to be protected by them.

lVhile the valves have been shown controlled by means of electrical apparatus, it is to be understood that they can be operated in any other desired manner. Furthermore these valves can be arranged wherever desired.

What is claimed is The combination with an upstanding tubular nozzle open at its upper end and having an opening in the wall thereof, said nozzle being formed in a single piece, of a one piece sprinkler mounted for rotation on the nozzle and having a recess in the top thereof for the reception of the open end of the nozzle, there being upwardly diverging outlets in the sprinkler and radiating from the recess, said outlets communicating with, the open end of the nozzle, said sprinkler being adapted to receive water from the opening in the wall of the nozzle, and tangentially disposed outlets upon the peripheral portion of the sprinkler, said nozzle constitutingmeans for directing water under pressure against the wall of the recess in the sprinkler to lift the sprinkler bodily out of contact with the end of the nozzle during the actuation of the sprinkler, said sprinkler being adapted to be slipped onto the nozzle from the upper end thereof.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own, we have hereto afliXed our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

DE FOREST POWERS. HARRY C. SHULTZ. Witnesses:

L. D. CHAMBERS, J. E. GIEsBo.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

